A Liminal Existence
by JimMoriartyH1
Summary: The world is changed. Malekith has been defeated. But at what cost? Lillith has lost everything she had learned to hold dear after the death of her father. Her home on Asgard, the friends she had made, her mentor Frigga dead, and Loki... Earth is supposed to be her home. But for a half-breed caught in a threshold adapting isn't always easy. Part 2 of the Existence Series. Loki/OC
1. The Aftermath of Battle

**Hey there, before you read any further there is a previous fic that this is picking up after. If you haven't read it, please take a look at my profile. It's under the name A Duel Existence. Thank you!**

**-Moriarty**

Hospitals were not my forte. There were a lot of things I hated about hospitals. I hated the sterile white walls. The mechanical beeping that only served to heighten my awareness of when I was stressed out. Like a metronome underlying a symphony of anxiety. Hospital gowns were absolutely too thin and covered not even close to enough skin for me to be comfortable. I hated the thin sheets they had on their beds that sucked just enough to keep the edge of a chill on your skin, but well enough for you not to be cold.

Wires everywhere, getting tangled up in everything including the other wires. The sharp smell of disinfectant that clung to literally everything. The smell was thick enough to taste. This hospital, however, was worse than a normal hospital in a multitude of ways.

There was no t.v. so what little time I have had to myself was spent in silence which was interrupted by the horrible beeping. There were no windows, so all of the light was flat and artificial making my already pale skin look ten times worse.

Thankfully, when I woke up, there were no tubes attached to me in ways that I didn't want to think about. Instead there was Nick Fury offering me a new life here on Earth. And despite my misgivings I had accepted.

What had happened felt far too close and so very far away from me. I found myself picking at the too-thin bed sheets nervously, running the material in-between two fingers. To think that all of this stemmed from a vacation trip astounded me. I had always wanted to see New York, and my dad had surprised me with a trip there. It was supposed to be wonderful. Instead the city came under attack by an invading force led by a misguided and sadistic fool.

My dad was killed. Even now the shock of it felt too vivid, too real. I didn't bury him either.

I grit my teeth and turned over in the narrow bed, listening to the steady beeping wishing that it could distract me from the march of my memories. Fury had said he was going to release me soon, that he just needed to make a few calls. That was yesterday. I had slept for a good portion of my downtime, but now I felt fine. Worse I had reached the state where I couldn't sleep any more.

Furious from the loss of my father I had offered myself up to lure out the coordinator of the attack. It wasn't hard, really. All you had to do was refuse to kneel to him. Show him that someone even as small as me could still stand up to him. That humanity would not easily break or bend in the face of the terror he sought to spread. He had been so angry then. Shot down a faceless girl that stood out in a crowd.

The memories there went a bit fuzzy. I remember the Avengers being near me. I remember a great warm darkness. And then I was suddenly whole and wracked with pain I couldn't describe, listening as the god who I had helped capture nearly purred over my agony. In the end though...he had sacrificed himself not only for me, but for the brother who offered me a chance to live. To bring me to his father, Odin, on Asgard to try and fix me.

Thor was supposed to see me when I got out. Fury said he wanted to personally introduce me to Tony Stark, which felt a bit odd. I mean, yes, after Odin healed me and deemed me a half-breed between human and Asgardian I had spent a lot of time around mythical figures who were gods, but I had kind of gotten used to that. Didn't think much of it at all actually. But to meet _the _Tony Stark. Iron man. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it.

The door opened. "Miss Lillith?" One of the nurses who had been checking up on me since I woke up stepped into the room. Everything in her demeanor screamed timid, but I had seen firsthand how motivated she was to get her job done. Brown hair neatly tucked back. Pale blue scrubs and eyes to match she was actually quite pretty. "If you'll follow me we can get you back to your things." She moved to me and unhooked a few different things and the horrendous beeping finally fell silent.

I swung myself out of the bed and instantly cowered feeling the breeze hit my exposed backside. The nurse smiled which wrinkled her nose in an adorable way.

"Don't worry. It's just me and you right now." She waited until I took a hesitant step forward. "Fury had some clothes sent for you." She explained ushering me into the hallway. Like the room the hallway was sparse. No decorations, only doors dotting the walls in regular intervals that reminded me of the beeping that I had just escaped.

"You must be excited." The nurse said breaking the silence. We passed a door that looked very much like my own door, with Thompson scrawled on the nameplate in dry erase marker.

"Yeah, I don't do very well in hospitals." I muttered trying to ignore the breeze.

"Well, I was talking about being back on earth, but that too I suppose." She said amicably. I wondered just how strange it was for her to try and make small talk with a person she knew had been to another planet. I would have been gob smacked should I have never gone on my little adventure.

"I missed it." I said truthfully. Another door passed. This one marked with Canada. I found myself pausing staring at the door for a moment. Who had Canada as a last name? I shook my head and kept going. Probably Captain America's cousin or something. I chuckled to myself which caught the nurse's attention.

"Something funny?" She smiled.

"I have a strange sense of humor."

Another door. Then another door. I stopped looking at the names and simply tried to keep myself on track behind her.

Eventually we stopped in front of another door looking the same as all the others. "Director Fury had us provide you with clothing." She mentioned as she pushed the door open. "I'll give you some space." She said planting herself against the wall. After a whole day of having nothing familiar around me the sight of my things neatly arranged on a table nearly made me cry.

"Garrett!" He was curled in on himself looking almost like a coaster save for the gleam of green near his mouth. Next to him lay Frigga's necklace. As I spoke he shivered slightly and lifted looking to me with a familiar ring clamped in his mouth. "Oh buddy," the ache in my chest nearly sent me to the floor, "good job." I breathed holding out my hand.

Garrett was beautiful, I realized, as he slowly cracked his mouth back open to gently deposit the ring into my palm. About a foot long, he was crafted from some dark and cloudy looking stone that was wonderfully smooth to the touch. His fangs, which flashed as he deposited the ring, were insanely sharp looking. The last I remembered of those fangs were the jolt as they had sank into my upper chest. He almost had the body of a black mamba, despite the color difference on the outside, but his head was more dragon-esque all ridges and elegant lines. His ruby eyes gleaming as he looked at me.

He flung himself over my wrist and curled around me, dragging his body up mine one loop at a time until all of him rested comfortably around my wrist and upper arm. There was a small pulse of joy from him and then he went still, only the slight pressure indicative that he was still alive.

I looked to the little ring he had given me. The green gem sparkled at me, reminiscent of another green, but I simply shook my head shoving the sorrow down and away from me. It wasn't time to mourn. Not now.

I put the ring on and glanced to see my backpack sitting next to a suitcase. A cursory look revealed my armor, newly clean from the looks of it. I turned to the side and felt myself smile.

"Jeans, Garrett!" I told him grabbing the dark and soft pair. "Real jeans. And a t-shirt!" I was nearly crooning with delight. They had even left some underwear and a bra. I didn't think too much about that last part. Instead I quickly shoved everything on, the plain black shirt and pants feeling like heaven.

I reached over and grabbed Frigga's necklace, carefully clasping it around my neck. It didn't take much to sling the backpack over my shoulders and to grab the suitcase pushing out of the little room.

The nurse looked me over her eyes locking onto Garrett. "How in the world does that bracelet work?" She asked starting a slow walk that I could follow. "We tried to get it to unlatch after it coiled into that flat shape. Happened overnight after we took it off of you. Clamped onto your ring too."

I bit my lip trying not to laugh at the sheer frustration and surprise in her voice. It was almost too easy to reply.

"It's magic."


	2. Plane and Simple

The hallways were monotonous, each one looking so much like the last I wondered if the nurse was simply leading me in circles until something new happened. Perhaps this was the last time I would ever see a friendly face, forced to wander the halls once the vision of the woman disappeared.

My train of thought, which had started to lean towards hospital gothic, was interrupted as new people began to pass by all of them giving me a once over that had me checking to make sure that my clothes were on properly.

"Do they have something against me?" I asked the nurse quietly during a lull. The hallway had changed and we were now moving through what seemed to be more open office spaces, where plenty of people with the shield logo walked this way and that.

"They're probably curious." The nurse answered back slowing slightly to walk next to me. "You are one of the few humans to have ever set foot on Asgard."

That wasn't something I had considered before now. Did I even count as human anymore though? I had started out that way, sure, but now?

"Lady Lillith!" We had entered a much larger space that seemed like a lobby, it wasn't hard to catch sight of Thor's golden hair. He waved excitedly the movement seeming oddly childlike along with his larger frame. There was a small rush of wings as two dark shapes took flight.

They speared for me, and I braced myself feeling their little claws slam into my shoulders pricking the skin as they both moved to fix their position. Huginn had missed me. The thought blasted through my head. I tried my best not to wince. He was so very proud of me for remaining brave. He had been so worried, but he was not allowed to visit while the healers were with me.

"What, you couldn't see that I recovered?" I asked him teasingly running a finger over his head. That does not stop him from worrying.

"Hello," Muninn's voice was soft and slightly muffled as he pressed his beak into the side of my face. It took me a moment to realize that he had essentially given me a kiss. I ran a finger over his head as well.

"Hey there."

Brace yourself. The words hardly touched my mind before large hands were lifting me up from my armpits, much like a small child. Thor grinned at me even as my friends gripped me a bit tighter their wings fluttering and Muninn muttering out a 'watch yourself'. Thor ignored them both.

"It is good to see you alive and well! I had feared the worst when I saw what had happened." Despite the good-natured tone I could see the flicker of horror in his eyes. I remembered it too. The Aether slamming into me. The look in Thor's eyes as he saw me, collapsed and bleeding out. He had looked so scared. There hadn't been time to save me, he had to finish Malekith off for good. I tried to ignore the memories and instead gave Thor the most enthusiastic smile I could muster.

"You did it!"

"Yes. _We_ did." Thor said finally letting me back down. "I have been told we have a place to stay."

"You're staying on Midgard?" I asked surprised. "What of your father?"

"He knows." Thor said a strange light entering his eyes. I tried my best not to notice if his smiles seemed forced. After all, mine were too. "He knows of you too."

"Me?" I hadn't thought of that. Odin had kept me on Asgard claiming it was for my own benefit. I was supposed to be too unstable to be around Midgardians. It hadn't crossed my mind that he would try to drag me back to Asgard after everything.

"Don't fret little sister." He muttered placing a large hand on my head. "Father agreed with me that you belong here. You'll do better here on Midgard. I'm here to watch over you, among other things."

"Is Jane among those other things?" I asked coyly. The gleam in his eyes proved me right. I laughed, feeling a weight fall away from me I didn't realize I had been carrying. It reminded me of a familiar awed look. A different voice whispering freedom reverently. It was like being hit with a bucket of cold water.

"There you are." Fury's voice told me that he knew exactly where I've been. The people seemed to part in front of him. I couldn't really blame them. The man held a brutal feeling authority. "How are you feeling?" It took me a moment to realize he was speaking to me.

"Oh," I straightened up a bit, "I'm fine."

He nodded to himself and gestured for us to follow him. "I've already talked to Stark. He's having arrangements made as we speak. We'll send you in a quinjet." Thor followed at my side, drawing people to look at him. He smiled and nodded at those we passed. I tried not to make eye contact.

Turns out that a quinjet was a strange looking private plane. It was unreal feeling as I strapped myself into one of the seats. Huginn and Muninn sat in my lap, my arms wrapped protectively around them both. Thor seemed at home, carefully placing his hammer into one of the overhead bins. I snorted at how such a mundane action was thrown into the weird with his 'luggage' being a legendary weapon and he being a god.

Demigod.

The word shivered through my mind. I knew it wasn't Huginn, it didn't feel like him. I grit my teeth and focused on keeping my two bird friends comfortable during the takeoff. Huginn did not like having something flying _for _him.

"Not all of us can fly, buddy." I told him over the whine of the engines. I was the only one here that couldn't. I stuck my tongue out at him, ignoring the feeling of my ears popping with the action.

"Lady Lillith, are you okay?" Thor asked from his seat. I tried not to wince at the title.

"Yeah, and you can call me Lilly if you want."

"You have not met Stark." Thor leaned back settling in for the ride. The seats were nice. The soft kind of leather that nearly molded to the body. I kept my slightly hunched position, not wanting to let go of my friends 'till we were at cruising altitude. Huginn appreciated my concern.

"I think he was there when I was dying." The memories of that time had grown hazy. Most of it had felt centered around that arrogant voice that had ridiculed her as she died. The malice that dripped off of each word, poisoning her head and heart. Wrecking her body. The feeling of those elegant hands pressed to her chest for the first time. "You think he remembers me?" I asked softer.

"He was." Thor confirmed, not hearing my other question. I let it go. Why would some billionaire superhero remember one random girl he met for maybe and hour at most. "I heard he rebuilt his tower."

I sighed and finally leaned back, letting my bird friends go. They stayed put simply watching me. "You think they serve those shitty little pretzels and soda?" I asked already knowing the answer.


	3. Stark

The plane landed in a small backwoods airport that felt lightyears away from where we were supposed to live from now on. The pilot gave me a small smile as I made my way out. It wasn't genuine, but I smiled back anyways.

In the distance, crowned with golden rays of sunlight, New York's silhouette jutted into the sky irregular and majestic. I had seen it a few thousand times on TV, but only once in person. It had been night then, in a little black car, with music softly playing. My father had shaken me awake with warm hands and pointed the sight out. A whole different world shimmering in the distance, like stars come to earth. He had said something, but I couldn't remember exactly what he said. I wondered how long it would be before I forgot more. How much would I forget him as time moved on?

I had no pictures of him now. Would I forget his face too?

"My lady," Thor's hand lightly touched my shoulder guiding me to look away from New York to see a sleek black car racing down the runway, dust flying behind it.

"You think that's our ride?" I asked. It was. I glanced to Huginn who was quite comfortable settled on my shoulder.

The car rolled to a stop not too far from where Thor and I stood. The driver's door jerked open and one of the most famous people in the world stepped out. Tony Stark was as intimidating as the pictures of him. He was handsome, I realized in a distant way, as he moved to stand in front of us.

"Stark!" Thor boomed with a wide smile.

Dark hair, dark glasses, dark suit, and an air of authority and knowledge that made me want to go hide back in the plane were the first things that I noticed about the infamous man.

"Heard you had some fun." Was his greeting to Thor. I took a slight step back wishing more than anything I could just disappear. He was too famous, I didn't know how to act. Huginn didn't understand what the big deal was. I had lived with gods, fought ancient forces of darkness, and yet a mere Midgardian gives me pause. It's different, I forcefully thought to him giving him a small glare for his effort. "You."

I blinked and looked back to see Tony stepping up to me, his eyes partially hidden behind the tint of his glasses looking me over.

"Nice to see you're alive, kid." He said with a smirk. "You look a bit different. Something in the Asgardian water?"

I watched him confused looking down to myself. I supposed with everything going on I hadn't thought about what I looked like. I was thinner, I supposed, and had a few new muscles. My skin had cleared up, even gained that slight glow that was inherent in Asgardians.

"Nice to meet you." I said attempting to be polite.

"We met." He said quietly. "You might not remember, you may have been in shock." His gaze traveled to Huginn and Muninn. His mouth twisted slightly. "No one said you had pets."

"They're not-"

"We are guardians." Muninn said dryly. For his part, Mr. Stark only looked mildly disturbed.

"Guardians?" I echoed looking to the human-like bird. For his part he simply stared back giving one small nod. "Right." Huginn had decided to watch over me as did Muninn. They would keep me safe. I glanced to the side. Huginn was watching Stark.

"Come on, let's get your luggage." Stark glanced at the birds. "Jarvis, order some bird food to be sent to the tower."

I hiked my backpack a little higher feeling the weight of the few things I had shift against my back, and reached down to grab the handle of my suitcase.

"Allow me," Thor said reaching over to grab my suitcase. I handed it over

"Hold it," Stark looked me over, "that's not all your luggage is it? You do know that you're _moving_ into the tower, princess?"

"This is all I have." I muttered defensively. I wished, suddenly, I was back in my room in the palace watching Loki glare at me from the other side of the room. Even with the inherent loneliness that came with palace life it was better than this. I hated not knowing where I stood in relation to everything. All of it riding on a man who was known as a billionaire playboy giving me a place to stay.

"Really?" I hated the judgement in his voice.

"I lost everything." I didn't realize I was snapping at him until I felt Garrett shift on my arm. "All I have are the few trinkets that were given to me, this set of clothes," I said touching my shirt, "and my armor."

"Right." He looked me over for a long moment. "Get in." He said nodding toward the black car.

"Thank you, Stark." Thor moved to open the passenger side and then looked to me, waiting. I tried not to wince at the thought of sitting next to Mr. Stark as he drove. The seat was softer than I first thought. I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was to see this level of wealth in the car he had used to come get us. I sat my backpack between my legs automatically helping Huginn and Muninn into my lap. Nervously I began to pet them both trying not to fidget too much.

It wasn't long before Stark slid into the car looking over at me as he did so. I bit my lip and glanced down at my two friends wishing beyond anything that I wasn't here. All will be well. Huginn likes this Stark fellow. I quirked a brow at Huginn but otherwise didn't move much.

"Mr. Stark how much will rent be?" I asked softly. "I don't have a job yet but-"

I was cut off by laughter, both Stark and Thor's. The car moved quickly and quietly as Stark began to navigate toward that jagged cityline.

"No rent." He added when he was done laughing. "You did enough in helping save this city." There was something haunted in his voice. I found myself peeking up at him, looking at the slight pained set to his mouth. I couldn't find it in myself to pry, and so I leaned against the door watching as the landscape both familiar and alien quietly drifted by.

"Pointbreak, Princess, you two hungry?" Stark asked after a while of silence.

"Food would be appreciated." Thor answered.

I kept quiet, not really moving from my position.

"This quiet brooding thing has to end." Tony said conversationally. I glanced to him and froze as I met his eyes. He turned back to the road. "Feels like we're heading to a funeral. It's okay to talk. I don't bite unless asked. There! Good, it's okay to smile." I didn't even realize I had cracked a smile until he pointed it out. "Did Asgard have burgers?"

"No, but they did have a lot of feasts."

"All this time and you haven't missed a good old fashioned american cheeseburger?"

Now that he mentioned it, I had missed normal food. Asgardians weren't short on food, but it was normally whole legs of meat and entire loaves of bread. Huginn was interested in what a hamburger was supposed to taste like. Man, I had actually kinda missed getting shitty burgers at midnight.

"Okay...maybe."

"That's the first thing I wanted when I got out of captivity." Stark nodded. "Let's get some. My treat."

Sometime later had me cautiously holding my bag of burgers and fries looking at the soft sheen of grease that even coated the wrapper. This was a nice car. The kind of nice car that I could probably spend a lifetime working toward and still never get the exact level of nice that this car was.

Thor, however, didn't seem the have the same reservations. He tore into the food looking as if he hadn't eaten in days. At least I knew that I didn't quite have the appetite of an Asgardian, despite how much more I could put down. Huginn and Muninn had taken to the backseat watching him eat with interest. Every so often he would hand them a fry. He took a large bite and then seemed to notice me watching him.

"My lady," Thor said wiping a bit of mustard off of his lips before talking, "you should eat. You are an Agardian, and we need to feast in order to heal." He added sounding very much like an older brother. I sighed and looked back to the food in my lap.

"I can just wait till we get there." I offered nervously.

"You ever been in New York traffic?" Stark asked glancing over at me a fry in his freehand. "Might as well eat now."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't? Don't tell me you're one of those fad diet types." He took a bite of his french fry for emphasis.

"Your car-"

"Do you see me eating? Or him?" He vaguely motioned to Thor who was starting on his third burger. "You're fine. Just eat."

I sighed and opened the bag, carefully unwrapping the food and taking a bite. It was heaven. I hadn't realized how much I had missed Midgardian food until now. It took me no time at all to inhale my two burgers and the fries.I sipped on my drink feeling marginally better with the food in my system.

Slowly the emptier roads gave way to real New York, the streets becoming clogged, and the buildings rising overhead. Just like the first time I saw this place I suddenly felt very small in the world. I could still remember the sounds of battle. The burning smells mixed with the strange metallic scent of the invading alien force. I glanced up half expecting to see a behemoth of a creature to come flying overhead, its sides grazing the buildings in a shower of metal and glass.

"Different than you remember it?" Stark's voice was surprisingly gentle. Pitched low and soft as if he understood what I was seeing.

"A bit." I muttered looking things over. "They're rebuilding well."

"That's where we're going." Stark pointed as a new building came into view.

It was a massive structure of glass and steel twisting into the sky. Huge and gleaming an A sat like a christmas tree topper. I felt my breath catch.

"Your room is up there." Stark casually mentioned pointing near the top."Jarvis, is her room ready?"

A small screen, which I had at first taken to be some sort of backup camera, flared to life with a blue circular matrix.

"Yes sir." A proper male voice answered back.

I couldn't help my small gasp of delight. An AI, or at least a very intelligent system. I had always heard about Stark's amazing technology, but hearing the posh voice answer back like a real human suddenly made me remember why he became Iron Man. How he had created a suit that no one had been able to replicate. I could still remember the ringing statement of "I am Iron Man" that broadcasted for days after he uttered them. Stark, for his part, looked a bit amused at my reaction.

"Jarvis, meet the Princess. Princess ...meet Jarvis."

"Um…" I breathed unsure. "Hi, nice to meet you."

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well." There was a moment's pause. "Might I ask for your name?"

"Lillith."

"Ah, very good. Voice sample and name registered. Welcome to the Avengers Tower miss Lillith."


	4. Avengers Tower

The elevator ride up into the heart of Avengers Tower felt long as hell. My mood, which hadn't been the best had only fallen further during the long car ride. New York traffic was terrifying, nothing like the traffic she had grown up dealing with.

It was a behemoth of a tower and Stark for the most part was quiet on the ride up. Even Thor seemed to fall silent on the trip to our new home. Nothing really felt like home anymore. I was almost completely out of it when the door silently slid open, revealing a large living room that seemed to be made of metal and glass.

"You've had a long day," Stark said looking us over. Well, mostly me, if I was being honest. "Princess, take a seat." He said motioning to one of the many couches that dotted the multi-floored areas. "You," he said starting to walk motioning at Thor, "this way."

It was very quiet. Huginn and Muninn had taken flight wheeling around the open space. I dropped my bags next to me on the couch and tilted myself back closing my eyes. The couches, while blocky looking were at least comfortable.

It wasn't long before I heard quick and confident footsteps heading back to me.

"All right, Princess." Stark's voice echoed in the space. I opened my eyes seeing him stop about a foot away. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." I pushed myself up and grabbed my bags. Stark led me up some stairs and into what looked to be a more residential area. It didn't take much of a walk before he leaned against the doorframe of the last room in the hall. He had taken his glasses off, and regarded me with a sharp gaze. "This one is yours." He said rapping his knuckles against the door.

"Thank you." I reached for the door, but Stark didn't move away. I paused, my hand on the handle and looked him over.

"How old are you?" He asked after a moment tilting his head a fraction.

"Ah," I frowned and thought for a second. "I'm nearly 22." I finally answered. My birthday had come and gone in Asgard without so much as a peep. I had honestly preferred it that way. The only person who had really been around had hated my guts at the time anyway. It was a bad idea to give Loki ammunition, so I had endured it alone.

"Damn," he muttered his tone a bit darker. "I didn't realize." Stark looked me over for a long moment. His mouth twisted slightly, like he had found something he didn't like. I tried not to feel self-conscious. "Night, Kid." He finally said pushing away from the wall.

"I like the other nickname better." I called over my shoulder.

Stark chuckled. "Noted, Princess."

The door whispered open and I crossed the threshold of my new home. Into my new life.

The lights to the room were already on revealing a huge sitting space. One huge curving wall was nothing but glass showing the shimmering form of New York from above. The living room itself was set into the floor, there were actually two steps that seemed to ring the outside of the space. A large curved couch was the main feature of the room, it was a soft heather grey, and faced away from the view looking toward what looked to be an empty bit of wall set in between two closed doors. Just in front of the couch a glass coffee table sat gleaming.

Huginn and Muninn flew into the space from behind me. I sighed and closed the door stepping down into the space. I dropped my backpack and suitcase off near the couch and slowly headed toward the leftmost door shyly opening it as if I expected some monster to pop out and attack me. Instead a dark bedroom greeted me. The glass wall extended into this room as well, following the curve of the building. I glanced at the wall nearest me looking for a lightswitch. It was just to the left of the door, a small slider that I slid all the way up. The room flared into brilliance. A huge king sized bed sat against the glass wall dominating the room. The design looked very much like black ink that had been dropped into the water. Following the color scheme of the living room and the bedroom was bedecked in greys and blacks.

Night tables made of some sort of dark wood flanked the bed on either side, both of them holding small shaded lamps. I wandered further into the room, noting a set of double doors off in the corner of the room.

"It's very…" I twisted around noting that against the far wall a vanity had been set up next to some drawers all of it that matching dark wood. "Big." I finished lamely my voice bouncing back to me.

The double doors led to a huge bathroom that gleamed in the light. I nearly cried in delight at the sight of not only a huge bathtub, but a standing shower as well. It even seemed that toiletries had been provided. The toilet was closer to the door, and across from in tucked into the corner of the room was a counter and sink that wrapped around until it nearly hit the back of the bedroom door.

I blinked when I realized there was another door, settled in between the edge of the counter and the corner of the room, just past the bathtub. Hesitantly I pushed that door open only to see a walk-in closet sitting empty and dark.

I glanced to the outfit I had on and sighed, realizing how little I had on me. I shut that door and backtracked back out into the living room heading for the door to the right this time. This door didn't have a handle, and instead had a gleaming silver panel. A soft push had the door swinging inwards revealing a kitchen area. The far wall held a fridge, gleaming silver, that fit perfectly with a counter that wrapped from the far wall around halfway back toward the door. There was an oven and stove top along with multiple drawers. Above the counter there were cabinets. There was a sink, and a dishwasher. There was even a small rounded breakfast table with chairs tucked into the corner of the room, just outside the reach of the door.

It was all so much that I ducked back out and sat myself down onto the couch curling into myself slightly.

"These rooms are larger." Muninn landed near me on the back of the couch.

"It's more of an apartment than a room." I muttered feeling dwarfed.

"This bothers you?" I glanced up to see Muninn watching me intently. It was still strange to see such intelligence in his eyes. Like his body was little more than an illusion, concealing the humanoid underneath.

"Maybe?" I said looking around. It felt so big. So empty. "I mean, at least with my room in Asgard it was just a single room. It feels ...impersonal here."

"Your room on Asgard was just as barren."

I sighed as he made a good point. "Yeah, you're right." I glanced out at the glittering lights.

"_Pardon the intrusion._" I jerked upright at the sound of the proper voice coming from everywhere at once. It took me a moment to realize it was Jarvis. "_But may I have a moment of your time, Lillith?" _

"Oh, um yeah sure." I sat twisting wondering where to look.

"_Welcome to Avengers Tower." _He said warmly. "_There are a few features of your room that you are unaware of. If needed you can always verbally command the elements of the room. Such as turning off and on lights, your television, or darkening the windows."_

"Wait what?" I blurted. "I have a tv?"

"_You do."_

I scanned the room but saw nothing. There was a remote sitting on the coffee table I noticed.

"So I just….command it and it happens."

"_Correct."_

"Okay, turn on tv." Almost instantly there was a small click and the wall across from the couch slid open to reveal a huge flat screen built into the wall. I gaped.

"_I hope that helped you."_ Jarvis said.

"It did, thank you." There was no answer so I took a long moment to simply stare at the screen. Exhaustion slowly crept through my veins. Huginn and Muninn were both perched near the windows looking out. I pushed onto my feet and grabbed my luggage, taking it to my new bedroom. I left the door open for the two of them and sat on the new bed.

Memory foam, it had to be. I sighed and pulled my backpack up in front of me. I glanced to Garrett wrapped around my arm and sent him a small command to hop off. He uncoiled and landed with a muted thump onto the covers.

I unzipped the backpack and slowly pulled out the first thing my hands touched. Calm unfurled as I pulled out a familiar blue candle. Warmth and happiness as I set aside the yellow candle. A slow curl of heat and yearning as I inspected the red candle.

"Fandral." I muttered remembering the little wink he threw me behind Sif's back. I sat it to the side. Garrett stretched toward the yellow candle looking as interested as he could. I reached in again and pulled out the little glass bracelet that Volstagg had gotten me, the colors shifting between deep blues and purples. I reached deeper, getting close to the bottom of the bag when I felt something hard meet my fingertips. Confused I tugged the item out. They were books, very thin all bound together with a shimmering gold cord, tied onto and threaded through a golden rune.

It took a long moment, and then I realized what they were. Sorrow pulsed in my chest like a living thing. The books that Loki had gotten for me. That he and Typhus had spent so much time arguing over. Loki had packed them for me, I realized with a sick jolt.

The room was so empty. Automatically I glanced to my arm, looking at the skin there. Gone, he was gone just as much as the small home I had carved out for myself in Asgard. The room felt too big, the bed too open. I quietly sat my gifts on the side table nearest me and curled underneath the blankets, covering everything including my head.

Feeling too small in a very big universe I fought back my tears until darkness took me.


	5. A Deal

Someone was at the door. I groggily batted at Huginn from where he had perched on my chest. They are being loud. If I didn't know any better he was whining at me, but after a moment I could hear a loud and impatient knocking. I dragged myself up, displeasing Huginn who pushed off my chest to land on the end of the bed. I didn't need to see him to know the little clack he sent my way was disgruntled. I smirked and pushed myself up, noting that Garrett quickly wrapped himself around my wrist before I could leave the bed without him.

"Worried?" I asked him, running a finger down his textured head. The obnoxious knocking finally went silent. For a moment I wondered if I could simply lay back down, but the thought was cut short.

"_Miss Lillith,"_ Jarvis' voice filled the room. "_You have a visitor waiting outside your room."_

"Thanks for letting me know, Jarvis." I sighed getting to my feet.

"_You are most welcome."_

I padded out into the living room, hearing Huginn's wingbeats as he followed me, and went to the door. It was only when I opened it did I realize what I must look like wearing yesterday's clothes crumpled from sleep, face puffy from crying, and my hair in disarray.

Tony Stark looked me over, taking in my bleary expression and the state of my clothing, and smirked. I wanted nothing more than to slam the door in his face and go back to sleep.

"Sleep well?"

"What can I do for you?" I asked, putting on my blandest and most polite tone. He had allowed me a place to live here, I supposed wake up calls were to be expected.

"Don't be like that, Princess." Stark said brushing past me to go and lounge on the couch. "I have a proposition for you." I quietly shut the door and perched myself on the very edge of the couch as far from the celebrity as I could manage. Garrett slipped off my wrist putting himself between Stark and I.

"Magic snake bracelet. Noted." Stark rattled off watching Garrett settle himself next to me.

"His name is Garrett."

"Garrett, the magical snake bracelet." Stark deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. "Noted." I glanced around to find my two 'guardians' and noticed them looking out over New York which was shimmering in the morning light. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was beautiful, yes, but so alien to me compared to the glowing golden splendor of Asgard. "So, you do a favor for me and I do a favor for you. Sound good?"

"What favor?" I asked looking back. He mimicked my pose leaning forward a bit.

"Capsicle wants to see you again. Won't stop bothering me about it since he heard you were coming here. You meet with him and I'll get you whatever you want to spruce up the place." He motioned at the apartment then gave me a once over. "And anything you need for your wardrobe."

"You seem to be getting the short end of the stick." I muttered really looking him over.

"You underestimate Rodgers tenacity." He breathed tilting his head up to look at the ceiling.

"Then wouldn't he just find me on his own?"

"And I'd never hear the end of it." Stark grumbled rubbing at his temples. "Listen, we both win in this situation."

"I don't need charity." I muttered shifting uncomfortably. "You're already doing too much." I looked to my hands, noticing the small silvered scars from where blades had hit my flesh.

"Did you think you'd survive?" He asked the question so nonchalantly that it didn't hit me fully for a moment. When it did I looked up at him, but he seemed busy poking at his phone. His smartphone was clear, I noted distantly. "When you decided to help us. When you got his attention. Did you think someone would save you?"

I bit my lip and reached out for Garrett, pulling him into my lap. The silence dragged on. Stark shifted, moved closer and it was suddenly apparent to me that he was angry in some way. I could feel it in the very air between us.

"There's that brooding thing again." His voice was flat.

"What is it you want me to say?" I asked, refusing to look at him.

"The truth."

I took a deep breath and focused inward. I reached out to my magic, feeling it curl up and through me. "When I first decided to help you, no I didn't expect to make it out alive." The room suddenly felt very quiet. "The world was ending. The sky was opening up and _things_ were pouring into the city. I could hear people dying." It was almost too easy to remember those first few moments. Seeing the behemoth _monsters_ brushing up against buildings in a shower of metal and glass. The feel of that glass underfoot as my dad and I ran for cover. "These aliens were everywhere. When my dad and I tried to take cover, they followed."

Screams and the pulse of those energy guns. They were scenes I had forced myself not to think of for all the time I had spent in Asgard. Fear, deep seated fear, curled through me.

"It was so much." I whispered my voice failing me. "They found us, and my Dad shoved me behind him. I heard the shot, but didn't realize ..." It was hard to breathe. "I didn't realize until my Dad fell...and by then it was too late. It raised it's gun at me, and then something shot it. An arrow I think."

I had reached for him, feeling his blood coating me as I tried to shake my Dad back awake. My voice cracking as I called for him.

"Everything was a blur. Then….I heard you all talking. Talking about the one responsible, and I realized that I didn't care what happened. You know what happened next."

I didn't give Stark the satisfaction of seeing the horror on my face, instead I stood moving to go and look out the window. I ran my fingers over Garrett, grounding myself by focusing on the tiny textured scales.

"I didn't care if it killed me. I was going to take down that bastard one way or another. I...don't remember much after that. I woke up in Asgard, with my ladies maids talking about me. I used to remember more, but it's faded with time."

The silence that followed was heavy, like someone had laid a blanket over the entire room.

"I remember when he shot me." That was true enough. It was hard to forget the madness that danced in his eyes. The sickly pallor of his skin as he raised that staff toward me. It had flared blue, laced with green, a sure sign that I had pissed him off royally. I felt the impact, but the pain came a few seconds later. I remembered staggering, the people around us screaming. Someone trying to help me. I had roughly shoved them away. Hoarsely told them to run as I tried to keep my body upright. Kept my eyes locked on the god in front of me. His look of triumph has morphed into rage when he had seen that I was still standing. The rest of the fleeing people didn't matter. We were the only two people in the universe as everything crumbled down around me.

There was a long sigh as Tony Stark, the millionaire and superhero, ran his hands across his face looking very tired for a moment.

"Meet with Rodgers." He said moving to stand. "Then we've got some errands to run, you and me. Mrs. Potts can come too, I'm not good at girlie stuff." He said shaking his hands as if he could shake the thought away.

"Wait-"

"No arguing, young lady." He admonished and I really could not tell if he was joking, or being serious.

"Captain America is here? Right now?"

"Waiting for you as we speak. Get a move on, daylight's burning." Stark said pushing himself up and glancing around the room before he settled back onto me. "And uh, might want to brush your hair or something."

I glared at the smirk he sent my way. Stark sauntered into my room the same way he entered and I was left alone. Well...as alone as I could get these days.

"Who is this Captain America?" Muninn asked fluttering over to land near me. I turned and padded back through the apartment, heading for the bathroom.

"He's a superhero, one of the first I had ever heard of. He was known best during World War II I think." I said expecting the birds to follow me. I tried not to think too much as I stripped down, turning on the shower water to let it get hot. I quietly took off the few bits of jewelry I had on me, telling Garrett to wait near the door instead of on my wrist. He seemed reluctant but moved to do as I said. "He disappeared, and recently they found him again. Frozen in some iceberg. He survived that somehow, but I guess that's why they call him a super soldier."

"And this….soldier wants to meet with you?"

"Yeah, I'm just as baffled as you are." I stepped into the shower, and nearly swooned at the perfect warmth. Baths were fine and all, but showers were the stuff of the gods. Or...well….it should be anyway.

None of the soaps were scents I particularly cared for, but that was nothing new. Anything clean was good with me. I made a mental note that if Stark was insisting on buying me things, that he was going to shell out for some good soaps. The moisturizing kind that left your skin pleasantly scented for days.

And lotion, I decided as I stepped out and towelled off, looking toward the dirty clothes in despair. At least I hadn't done much in them except for riding in a plane. And sleep. The wrinkles proved that, but who was I trying to impress?

It occurred to me as I pulled the old clothes back on, that Captain America was who I was trying to impress.

"This is stupid." I mumbled, ripping a brush through my hair. "Why would another superhero want to meet me?"

"You did sacrifice yourself to help their plan come to fruition." Muninn said from the counter.

"Yeah, and it's been….what a year or so since then? Who cares?"

We do. The thought hit me at the same moment as Huginn's claws. Perhaps they simply want to help me. Grew a soft spot for me.

"Okay, they didn't know me a long enough to grow a _soft spot_, buddy." I slipped on the green ring, and fastened Frigga's necklace laying it underneath the shirt and out of sight. It did not take us long to care for you.

"_You _were also spies, sent by Odin to watch over me and report back." I said crouching down to let Garrett curl about my wrist to settle once more.

"And you were a threat." Muninn replied back evenly.

"I was never a threat," I said a bit harshly. Muninn ruffled his feathers and fluttered over landing on my unoccupied shoulder.

"Your powers were untested, and largely still are."

"I know." I sighed putting the brush down and looking at myself in the huge mirror. I looked different. My hair, which matched Thor's, was longer. My skin had that strange and subtle glow that I had grown used to in Asgard, one that Stark's skin didn't exude. I turned away, not sure if I was okay with the change.

"We are here to watch over you." Muninn said a bit softer this time.

I began the slow walk out of the bathroom, dreading leaving the apartment. "My powers are new….how am I supposed to master them now?"

There was a long moment of silence, only accented by the soft tap of my footsteps over empty floors. I had gotten so used to certain company that the absence of it felt like an open and weeping wound. Every moment rubbing it raw. That void that had opened within me back on the dark world was still there, still festering. And I wasn't sure that there was anything I could do to stop it.

"I just want to sleep." I told my companions softly. I needed to go and meet America. I nearly burst into laughter. "Going to meet America, I think in that sense we've already met." I chuckled. I had not yet met the man. "Yeah, let's get that over with."


End file.
